Animal-trap.



V. H.. SAFFRY.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 19.1918.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY my man runs w. l'nmurna, ulAsnlNr-Iam n :v

ANIMAL-TRAP.

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To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, VICTOR H. SAFFRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alma, in the county of Wabaunsee and State of Kansas, have inventedceertain new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to animal traps, and the primary object thereof is to: construct a simple and eflicient trap. adapted to be placed in the path of an animal tobe trapped to obstruct his passage either going or coming.

Another object is to construct such a trap so that the entrance thereto of theanimal is facilitated and his exit prevented.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combinatlon and arrangement of parts and 111 the details of construction hereinafter clescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a trap constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof,

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the cage-like closures for the trap, and

Fig. 4 is a detail verticalsection ofthe spring means for holdin In the embodiment illustrated, the trap constituting this invention comprises a casing 1 here shown cylindrical in form, although obviously it may be of any desired configuration in cross section, being open at both ends. A door 2 is mounted in one side wall of the casing, midway its ends to afford access thereto for removing the trapped animals.

Depending from the top of the casin is a bait supporting hanger 3 which may e of any suitable or desired construction.

The casing 1 may be composed of any suitable material either wood or metal, being here shown constructed of wire with inturned flanges 4 at its ends. These flanges 4: surround entrance openings 5 in which are mounted the closures 6. These closures 6 are exactly alike, and hence one only will be described in detail. Each closure comprises a truncated coneshaped skeleton casing or Specification of Letters Patent.

ployed, being the closure closed.

i a t o W ratenteuneeaieis. Applicationfiled 'l'une 19,1918. Seria1No.240,832. I a

cage when inoperative closed position. This 1.

cage comprises a pair of annular members 7 and 8 arranged in longitudinal alinemeut and spaced apart, being held connected by a plurality of bars 9, any desired number of which maybe employed, four being here shown. The outer ring 7 is secured to the free edge of flangek l and has a pluralityof spring supports 10 radiating fromits outer side face, as is shown clearly in Fig. 3. These supports 10 are here shown arcuate and bifurcated, the furcations 11 forming a housing for coiled spring 12, which bears atone end againstthe inner end of the housing and at its outer end against one end of a lever 13 which is positioned between the furcations, as is shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4t. Aplurality of these levers 13 are emfulcrumed intermediately of their ends on the ring 8 which is disposed within the casing 6, at a point spaced in- Wardly from the opening 5. The engagement of the springs 12 with the outer ends of these leversl3 operates to force their inner ends laterally inward toward each other, causingthem to converge toward their free ends, which are pointed as shown at 14:. This construction aflords a yieldable conelike closure, the prongs 14 being spaced apart a suflicient distance to permit an animal to insert his nose through the vertex of the closure, and the springs 12 are of such slight resillency as not to interfere with his the levers into closed position as shown in Fig. 2, and prevent his return. It will thus be seen that while an animal may enter from either end of the casing, after he once enters he cannot get out, through the door 2. p These traps are especially designed for trapping rabbits andsimilar animals which in cold weather, collect in numbers in dens or holes, and the trap is designed to be placed at the entrance of a den, so that an animal to obtain access thereto, must pass through the trap, or in order to leave the is caught either going or coming. While these traps are primarily intended for such but may be removed disposition, they may be obviously placed at i any suitable or desired point where animals desired to be caught are known to frequent. The foregoing description and the drawhole he must also enter the trap, so that he ings have reference to what may be considered the preferred or approved form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, ma terials, dimensions, etc., as may prove eX- pedient and fall within the scope of the claimed invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An animal trap having an entrance opening, a ring surrounding said opening, a support carried by and spaced inwardly from said ring, a plurality of levers fulcrumed intermediately of their ends on said support, springs arranged under the rear ends of said levers to force the inner ends toward each other, and a casing encompassing said levers to prevent the operation thereof from the inside.

2. An animal trap having an entrance opening, a ring surrounding said opening, a support carried by and spaced inwardly from said ring, a plurality of levers fulcrumed interinediately of their ends on said support with springs arranged under their rear ends, whereby their inner ends are forced inwardly toward each other.

3. An animal trap having an entrain-,0, opening, a cage-like closure therefor co1nprising a pair of longitudinally spaced rigidly connected rings, one being mounted in said opening and the other positioned within said caslng, spring housings radiating from the outer ring and positioned within the casing, a plurality of levers fulcrumed intermediately of their ends on the inner ring with their outer ends positioned in said housings, coiled springs mounted in said housings to exert their tension to force the levers outwardly whereby their inner ends are moved laterally inward converging to form a common vertex.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VICTOR H. SAFFRY.

Witnesses I. G. LUNnz, G. A. MULLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

